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Blow By Blow Account Of The Magical 90th Birthday Ceremony Of Lady Christine Adedoja Otedola + Faces And All You Need To Know About The Event!

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3 years ago

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The magical 90th Birthday ceremony that welcomes Lady Christine Doja Otedola, the matriarch of the Otedola family into the nonagenarian elite on Sunday, April 3, 2020, decorated the megacity of Epe, Lagos in brilliant hues and tinctures as elegance pranced with glamour.

The St. Peters Catholic church, Odoragunshin, Epe Lagos had an amazing precision and order which pervaded a prompt ceremony.

LADY DOJA OTEDOLA

Lady Doja––the teacher, nutritionist, philanthropist, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, dubbed ‘Madam Efficiency’ in her younger days––is immensely grateful to the Almighty for this grace and benevolence. For this charming and winsome life, with family and friends and well-wishers cheering her on.

 

This beautiful Sunday morning, the sleepy town of Odoragunshin in Epe Lagos came alive. The environs were serene, with a lot of people around to celebrate with the philanthropist par excellence.

On the grounds of St. Peters Catholic Church, policemen, DSS, LASTMA officials, and FRSC, among other security agents were on the prowl. With some men in mufti, vehicles were directed to the designated car park where orderliness prevailed.

SOCIETY REPORTERS was on the ground and here are the happenstances of the glorious occasion:

 

 

THE PROCESSIONAL HYMN

The song that ushered in the celebrant was titled, From Sacristy to Grotto. This was at exactly 10:15 am and it went on until there was a brief stop since the door to the church to be dedicated remained closed. The choir sang a couple of hymns beginning from the Sacristy as the Archbishop processes out of the sacristy.

Femi Otedola strolled in.

The Billionaire, as he is fondly called, exchanged pleasantries with some of his guests and family members before proceeding to the commencement of the Mass for the day.

THE OFFICIATING MINISTERS

 Chief celebrant Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, pronounced the procession of the mass, he was assisted by Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Marcus Famosaya, Priest in Residence, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ogundele, and others.

BUSY DAY FOR TRAFFIC OFFICIALS

Traffic officials operating on the Island axis will definitely not forget Sunday, April 3, 2022, in a hurry. It was one of their busiest. Though not officially contracted for the day, the traffic that began the birthday ceremony created was unimaginable. The road leading to the reception venue was temporarily shut due to the presence of top-of-the-range automobiles coming into the area every now and then.

THE EARLY BIRDS

The early birds at the church service were the executive governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu, and his amiable wife, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, also sighted beside him while they wait for the service to begin was Gov. Kayode Fayemi, while the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi later joined them at the entrance of the church before the arrival of Femi Otedola to usher them into the beautifully decorated hall which had names of guests on each chair.

   FEMI FEDRO REJOINS HIGH SOCIETY

Mr. Femi Pedro, former deputy governor of Lagos state, is back on the social scene, after a long layoff due to a sprained leg.

The fashionable politician came out of his shell for the birthday celebration and was even among the early callers.

BETWEEN SANWO-OLU AND FAYEMI

There is no doubt; there exists a strong bond between these two men of means. It may even be because the two are state governors in the southwest. While Sanwo Olu is the governor of Lagos State, Kayode Fayemi governs Ekiti State. The two came to the event together, sat together, chatted all through, and left at about the same time.

HEAVY SECURITY AT THE CHURCH

A lorry load of K-Square Security personnel was stationed at the church premises while the procession lasted. The men in black, looking stern and fearful, kept street urchins at bay, including all the uninvited guests.

THE GRAND ARRIVAL OF YEMI OSINBAJO

The vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo tested his popularity at the event and there is no doubt many still admire the Professor whose intention to run for the position of the president of the federal republic is yet unknown. The black Lexus sports car that brought him to the church hardly pulled up before the shouts of PYO rented the air.

In fact, it took the intervention of some security personnel to ward-off urchins who wouldn’t let the man be.

SEYI TINUBU CAUSES STIR

Son of the political Jagaban and the leader of the ruling party, Senator Bola Hammed Tinubu, Seyi was there to probably cause a steer and register his presence at the event. Since his dad could not make the event. While the church service was ongoing Seyi Tinubu was sighted outside with a mammoth crowd of urchins hailing him and trying to get something from him while the attention of many guests who couldn’t make it into the church hall looked on and this almost caused distraction during the church service.

 

EXOTIC AUTOMOBILES ON PARADE

Expensive wonder-on-wheels littered the entire Odoragunshin town and environs. The Governor of Lagos came in a black Toyota sport, allegedly described as a bulletproof car. The guests rode in a couple of exotics cars ranging from Lexus, MBW, G-Wagon, and Bentley among many others. There was also a black Range Rover sport and a white Lamborghini in their convoy.

 

TEMI OTEDOLA CAME WITH HER LOVER

One of the daughters of Femi Otedola, Temi Otedola, was not missing in action at the ceremony. But she made it up with her appearance at the event with her lover, Mr. Eazy.

NO INVITE, NO ENTRY

That was the bold inscription placed at the entrance of the venue of the reception. Black uniformed K-Square security personnel did not give anything to chance. Those without the IV were turned back. But that notwithstanding some still smuggled themselves in.

PARADISE ON EARTH

That phrase aptly describes the ambiance of the reception decoration at the Odoragunshin venue. The two marquees put to use could accommodate over 2,000 guests at once. Lavishly decorated by Funke Bucknor’s Saphire Events as many gawked at their splendor.

There was a section for cocktails; there was also another session for the VIPs and another for the lesser mortals.

LONESOME MO ABUDU

The CEO of Ebony Life TV, and entrepreneur MO Abudu was at the event, dressed in a knee-length ball gown. The beautiful babe sat all alone, looking tired and worried, until she later became very restless when some VVIP guests started coming into the hall and she forced herself to exchange pleasantry with almost everyone including the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun among others.

GLOWING IN A BETTER LIFE

A giant balloon backdrop welcomed all guests to the reception with a lovely picture of the Nonagenarian Lady Doja Otedola on it and an inscription “Celebration of A Good Life.”

DJ CUPPY’S PERFORMANCE

DJ Cuppy one of Femi Otedola’s favorite daughters was at the reception to give a special rendition to her grandma. Her performance was one of the high points of the event as she got the guests cheering her up while she does what she knows how to do best.

DANCING TIME FOR THE CELEBRANT

The celebrant Lady Doja Otedola was ushered to the dancing floor by her billionaire son, Femi Otedola, as they both had a good time dancing to the beats of one of her sons Michael Otedola , after which Dj Cuppy took over the stage with her special rendition of GELATO. Even at 90, the celebrant did not disappoint her guests as she still made some good moves to the beats while her son Femi Otedola also did justice to the beats.

THE KING SUNNY ADE PERFORMANCE

Many had earlier been wondering who will be performing at the epoch-making event, but it was not surprising when the Event anchor Dare Art Alade announced the taking over of the band stand by KSA himself, and his presence gave the event the real touch of Society gathering that it was. Guests danced and danced while money rained till the late hours of the night.

 

GUESTS’ LIST

Bashorun Dele Momodu

 

Femi Pedro (Former Lagos Deputy Governor)

 

Mr. Tony Elumelu

 

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi

 

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Wife

 

Vice President Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

 

Governor. Kayode Fayemi

 

Adejoke Orelope Adefulire

 

Aliko Dangote (Chairman Dangote Group)

 

Godwin Emefiele (CBN Governor.)

 

Godwin Obaseki  (Edo State Governor.)

 

Wale Babalakin

 

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki

 

Former President of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

 

Toyin Saraki

 

Oba Saheed Elegushi

 

Akeem Muri Okunola

 

Mo Abudu

 

Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari

 

Mr. Uwem White

 

Kemi Adeosun

 

Tunde Folawiyo

 

Tayo Amusan

 

Kunle Afolayan

 

Mr. Yinka Shonekan

 

Muktar Shehu Shagari

 

Ogun State Governor. Prince Dapo Abiodun

 

Otunba Niyi Adebayo

 

Nkiru Anumudu

 

Mr. Peter Obi

 

Former Governor Of Ogun State, Segun Osoba

 

Dr. Adeshina, AFDB President.

 

Mrs. Bola Shagaya

 

Micheal Otedola.

 

Dare Art Alade.

 

James Ibori

 

Governor Of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai

 

Prince Segun Oniru

 

Prince Terry Waya

 

Mustapha Chike Obi (Fidelity Bank Chairman)

 

Kingsley Moghalu

 

Timi Alaibe

 

Kola Abiola

 

Abike Dabiri Erewa

 

Kunle Bakare

 

Seyi Tinubu

 

Chief Bisi Olatilo

By: Sunday Adebayo

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Society

Oniru confers chieftaincy titles on Smith, Idowu, Olorunnimbe, Akintoye others

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1 hour ago

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January 20, 2025

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The Oniru of Iru-land, His Royal Majesty Oba Abdul-Wasiu Omogbolahan Lawal CON [Abisogun II] has announced the conferment of honourary chieftaincy titles on eminent and distinguished citizens of Nigeria.

 

The revered monarch unveiled the shortlist of recipients as part of activities to mark the fifth anniversary of his peaceful reign on the revered throne.

 

Among the esteemed honourees are Iya Oba of Iru Kingdom – Chief (Mrs) Basira Titilayo Smith, Aare Majeobaje of Iru Kingdom – Chief Adeyemi Idowu, Aare So’ludero ofIru Kingdom- Chief Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Ph.D and Erelu Asa of Iru Kingdom – Chief (Mrs) Bolane Austen-Peters, Aare Fiwagboye of Iru Kingdom – Chief Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha, Asoju Oba of Iru Kingdom- Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe and Ajiroba ofIru-Kingdom- Chief Adegboyega Hakeem Akintoye.

 

While extending congratulations to the distinguished honourees on behalf of His Majesty and the Oniru-in-Council, High Chief Abayomi Daramola, Balogun of Iru-Land, in a statement revealed that the conferment of titles will be performed on 14th June, 2025 at the palace (Aafin Oba Oniru), Victoria Island, Lagos.

 

The statement read in part, “to mark the fifth-year anniversary of his ascension to the revered throne of his forebears as the 15th Oniru of Iru-land and after a rigorous selection process, His Royal Majesty Oba Abdul-Wasiu Omogbolahan Lawal CON [Abisogun II] – The Oniru of Iru-land upon the recommendation of the Oniru-in-Council, has issued a Royal Decree approving the conferment of respective honouray Chieftaincy titles on the underlisted eminent and distinguished citizens.”

 

 

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Society

‘Not My Property’ – Ex-Petroleum Minister, Diezani Exposes Owner Of Recovered $52.8 Million Loot

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14 hours ago

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January 20, 2025

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Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has clarified that she is not connected to the $52.5 million that was recently brought back to the country from the United States of America (USA).

Society Reporters recalls that the federal government on Friday, January 10, announced the receipt of $52.88 million in recovered Galactica assets linked to the former Minister of Petroleum.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, announced the recovery during a formal signing ceremony of the asset return agreement in Abuja.

Fagbemi explained that $50 million of the recovered funds would be channelled through the World Bank for the development of rural electrification projects.

The remaining $2.88 million, he added, would be allocated to the International Institute of Justice to enhance the justice system and support anti-corruption initiatives.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday, Diezani, who has been residing in the United Kingdom (UK) since departing from Nigeria, asserted that the funds associated with her in the media as illicit gains actually belonged to Nigeria’s oil entrepreneur, Kola Aluko.

Finally responding to the alleged recovery through her attorney, Mike Ozekhome SAN, Diezani maintained that the term “Diezani Loot” is unfounded, as she had no involvement in the circumstances surrounding the forfeiture of the funds by its rightful owner.

Expressing her stance, the former minister stated that the $52.5 million originated from a vessel that was confiscated by the American authorities from Kola Aluko, which was subsequently sold, with the proceeds returned to the Nigerian federal government.

Her disavowal of ownership over the funds was detailed in an extensive press release issued on Sunday by the Chambers of Mike Ozekhome SAN, titled “There is no such thing as Diezani Loot.”

The statement reads: “My chambers makes this intervention in the public domain as Solicitors to Diezani Alison-Madueke (DAM) ,the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, HMPR.

“As her Solicitors, we are fully versed in and conversant with her present ordeal and the entire facts surrounding her matters both here in Nigeria and abroad. So, we write from the vantage position of one that is aware of the cocktail of lies that have been spurned around her cases in the last ten years.

“Many of the narratives are outrightly false; some others sheer outlandish speculations; and most, simply bizzare stories cooked up by her traducers to extract a Shylock’s pound of flesh from her for reasons she does not know and cannot even fathom.

“This intervention therefore seeks to correct this skewed narrative and set the records straight for purposes of history. Many Nigerians often talk about wanting ‘technocrats’ to be involved in governance. They desire that people with character and integrity should join politics.

“We agree with them. However and regrettably too, now and again and many a time, the same people not only allow, but actually join the bandwagon to mob-lynch those who chose to serve the nation.

“And we often do this insidiously, covertly and overtly, even when there is no concrete or even any iota of proof that such public officers ever abused their offices or stole from public coffers.

“It is therefore surprising and of great concern to us, to see the level of sustained vilification of an innocent Nigerian citizen who has not yet been tried and found guilty of any offence known to law by any court of law whether in Nigeria or abroad. The person at the receiving end is Citizen Diezani Alison-Madueke (DAM).”

Mischievous And Cruel
The statement from Ozekhome’s office described the earlier claims about the asset recovery as misinformation and defaming.

It said: “We note with concern the recent deliberate attempt to link her with what has been described as a civil forfeiture of a yacht Galactica, the sale of which was said to have yielded $52.8m to the US government; which sum has since been repatriated to Nigeria.

This is a clear example of the mischievous and cruel sport of tarnishing the image of the lady through a bouquet of consistent, persistent and unrelenting cocktail of falsehoods and misinformation.

“The purveyors of this line of misinformation term it “name-and-shame”. To sell the storyline, the architects ensured they attached Diezani’s name to a recovered yacht which is not in any way linked to her.

“They now falsely termed it “Diezani loot”. Nothing of the sort ever happened. She was never involved in the purchase, use and sale of the said yacht.

“The yacht Galactica, from information readily available in the public domain and in open sources, was purchased by Mr Kola Aluko who had used the vessel until he agreed to its forfeiture to the United States of America.

“The yacht Galactica was neither owned nor ever used by our client. DAM has in fact never set her eyes on the yacht. Kola Aluko is an experienced businessman who had been in business well before DAM came into office as HMPR.

“The only tenuous basis for deliberately linking DAM to the said yacht is the false narrative that the Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) which were entered into between Kola Aluko & Jide Omokore’s Atlantic Energy companies and NNPC, were allegedly corruptly awarded to the said companies by DAM. DAM was not the GMD of the NNPC as so did not and could not have awarded the said contracts.

“We plead, as her lawyers, with all and sundry that she be accorded fair hearing and that the process of these UK court proceedings be allowed to take their natural course to avoid prejudice to her in the ongoing subjudice UK proceedings against her.

”Those purveyors and peddlers who habitually spin these outrightly false, unfounded, defamatory, unintelligent and indefensible narratives to denigrate and humiliate her should please find better use of their time and leave DAM alone.

“Let the law take its natural course without interference. We humbly pray.”

 

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Society

Bisi Onasanya, ex FirstBank MD flees Nigeria to Ghana as EFCC closes in……

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2 days ago

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January 18, 2025

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Bisi Onasanya, the embattled former Managing Director of FirstBank has followed in the steps of Oba Otudeko, the former chairman of FBN Holdings and fled the country.
Onasanya who is expected to appear at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday January 20 to answer to the charges brought against him by anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, may likely be absent in court as he is currently holed up in Ghana in hiding.

He was spotted at Movenpick Hotel in Accra where he checked in at exactly 8 am on Friday morning.

Society Reporters had earlier reported that Onasanya will be arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke for looting over N12.3 billion.

He will be arraigned alongside Otudeko, also the chairman of Honeywell Group who is equally on the run, as well as two others, a former board member of Honeywell Group, Soji Akintayo and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Limited connected to Otudeko.

The quartet committed fraud in tranches of N5.2 billion, N6.2 billion, N6.150 billion, N1.5 billion and N500 million, N6.2 billion and N2.09 billion between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos.

The 13-count charge, filed by EFCC counsel Bilikisu Buhari on January 16, 2025, further claimed that the defendants made and uttered forged documents to deceive the bank.

Specifically, count 1 accused the defendants of conspiring “to obtain the sum of N12.3 billion from FirstBank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for by V-TECH DYNAMIC LINKS LIMITED and Stallion Nigeria Limited, which representation you know to be false.”

In Count 2, it was alleged that the defendants, on or about the 26th day of November 2013 in Lagos, “obtained the sum of N5.2 Billion from FirstBank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for by V TECH DYNAMIC LINKS LIMITED which representation you know to be false.”

The 3rd count claimed that the defendants, between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos, obtained N6.2 Billion from FirstBank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for and disbursed to Stallion Nigeria Limited, which representation you know to be false.”

In the 4th count, they were accused of conspiring to spend the N6,15 billion, out of the monies.

According to the Commission, the offences contravened Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

Counts 5 and 6 read: “That you, CHIEF OBA OTUDEKO, STEPHEN OLABISI ONASANYA, SOJI AKINTAYO AND ANCHORAGE LEISURE LIMITED on or about 11th day of December 2013 in Lagos, procured Honeywell Flour Mills Plc to retain the sum of N1,5 Billion, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: Obtaining by False Pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

“That you, CHIEF OBA OTUDEKO, STEPHEN OLABISI ONASANYA, SOJI AKINTAYO, AND ANCHORAGE LEISURE LIMITED on or about the 17th day of December 2013 in Lagos, converted to the use of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc the sum of N500 million only which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: Obtaining by False Pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2 (b)) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

“That you, CHIEF OBA OTUDEKO, STEPHEN OLABISI ONASANYA, SOJI AKINTAYO, AND ANCHORAGE LEISURE LIMITED on or about the 17th day of December 2013 in Lagos, converted to the use of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc the sum of N500 million only which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: Obtaining by False Pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2 (b)) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

The Street Journal

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